Betrayed Luna's Second Chance Alphas
Betrayed Luna’s Second Chance Alphas – Chapter 43

-Roman-

“Brother, sit down. You heard her. She is alright,” Ashelene said as she put a hand on my shoulder. My body trembled as I shook my head. I wanted to run back to her and-

I couldn’t imagine a life without her. No, I was already fully in and I did not want to live without Riley, never. My heart pounded as I thought of her soft green eyes that were full of magic, her fiery hair… oh Goddess, I was… I would be truly lost without her.

“Adrian was right. I should have stayed,” I grunted in anger. Karl was agitated and angry, too, and he wanted to run back to her and take her in his arms. I wanted the same. “I was an i***t. I knew Hiran was a psychopath. I shouldn’t have left her alone.”

Adrian sighed and motioned me to sit down. “Rome, stop pacing, and take a deep breath. She is strong, and she said everything was alright. Let’s trust that. Also, it is not wrong for you to want to be there for Dean. He is our friend.”

I nodded as I looked at Adrian. He looked concerned, too, but here he was, comforting me. He always did that for me. He was the anchor to my boat stuck in a storm. Sometimes I did wonder what it would have been if Adrian wasn’t my friend. It was too strange to even think of a life where Adrian wasn’t a part of my life. He had always just been there. Sometimes I took it for granted, though.

“I wish I could teleport to her,” I grumbled as I sat next to Adrian. “And I am sorry for – this.”

“What?” Adrian asked with a confused look in his eyes. “What are you talking about, Rome?”

“I know you are worried about Riley, too, and angry, and yet, here you are, comforting me. You always do things like that for me.”

Adrian laughed as he punched me in my shoulder. “That is half my life, isn’t it?” he said as he shook his head with a smile. “You should probably pay me for it. Being your best friend is a hard job.”

“I did.”

“When did you-“

“Do you remember you are kissing Riley?” I said with a roll of my eyes and he huffed with a grunt. This was the first time I had actually mentioned it and it did feel awkward, but if there was someone I could share someone as amazing as Riley, it would be Adrian.

“I would love to do more,” he mumbled under his breath, but of course, I heard it. I bared my teeth at him and he shrugged. “Stop growling. We both know you are her first choice, and you will always be.”

My face twisted. Even though I was the one who asked Riley to choose me over Adrian, I still felt guilty for even asking that. I didn’t want to hurt Adrian. He had always had my back… and that was why this was harder for me.

“And do you want that, Ad? No, this is not me trying to be possessive or jealous.” I shook my head, and Adrian ran his fingers through his hair before he looked at me with a nod, and his eyes were understanding.

“This is you trying to be my friend,” he said with a soft sigh. I nodded. “Don’t worry, Rome, I am a big boy and I can take care of myself.”

“But you are my best friend, and I want to take care of you, too.”

He nodded as we sat there in the silence. Ash kept looking at me and then looking away. I had a feeling she wanted to say something, but she didn’t. I was too in my own thoughts to ask her about it.

We finally landed. I told Ashelene, Keller and Feyona to stay right there, and do whatever they wanted. Keller wanted to come, too, but I told him to stay put.

“Roman, I really have to go back,” Feyona said. “Ramsay will start to suspect me and I couldn’t-” She looked worried.

“I can still take them back?” Ash said as she looked at me. “You two go deal with-“

“No, I will go and check to see what was happening there, and then we will go back for Dean. I am going to arrest Hiran, and take him to Red Watchers’ headquarters. He has stopped being useful. Now he is just a fu.cking threat to the woman I-” I stopped and shook my head.

“Woman you love?” Karl said and I almost wanted to asphyxiate, but I didn’t have time for that now. I needed to go to Riley. To be there for her. “Oh, and you know that drunk call… I told her I loved her.” He was as cool as a f.ucking cucumber. Like he hadn’t just dropped a bomb in my head.

“You did what? You f*****g, mangy animal with furry a*s-“

“This is why I didn’t tell you. I knew you would freak out.”

“And you are telling me now? When I absolutely have no time to freak out?” I growled at my fu.cking wolf before I turned to Ashelene.

“Just find a hotel and check in. I will be back soon, okay.”

Adrian looked at her. “Stay safe, okay?”

“I know,” she said with a frosty look before she turned to Feyona. “Hell yeah, it is you, my brother’s ex-mate, and you, my brother’s woman’s friend, who used to sleep with her husband. This is going to be one hell of a hotel stay. Come on, then,” she said with a laugh, and walked out with them.

Adrian and I stripped, and then shifted and started running. When we reached the pack, we quickly shifted back and dressed and we ran towards Riley’s room. We both reached Riley’s room.

I saw that she was glaring at Hiran, while Reid was hissing something to Dee.

I ran to Hiran and gripped his neck. “I should have broken more than just your fu.cking nuts,” I growled and Hiran’s eyes widened as he looked at me.

“You- it was you. I will pay you back for that. I will pay all of you back. You will never forget that in your lifetime.” He moved against his shackles and growled at us.

I squeezed him tighter, making him choke. His face went bloodless as he thrashed under my hold. Riley placed a hand on my shoulder. “We still need him.”

I roared as I glared at Hiran. “You are a fool, a fool who doesn’t know the value of this amazing woman. The Moon Goddess made a mistake when she-“

“No, she didn’t,” Riley whispered, and I turned to look at her, confused. Bewildered. What did she mean? Her eyes were clear as she looked into mine and my heart rioted when I realized my stupid wolf had drunkenly confessed to her. “He is not my fated mate. He made me believe that because he wanted someone strong and powerful to be his Luna. And he told me I have Alpha b***d. He, once again, used magic to conceal it.”

Hiran laughed, the sound loud and boisterous.

“And you will always be my Luna, Riley. Kings and queens and knights and princes can’t stop me. They won’t stop me.” He looked straight into my eyes and I shook my head. No way in hell he knew I was a Prince. “Yes, I knew, Prince Roman. I had my doubts, but I confirmed it and Ramsay told me who you are.”

I snarled. Here I was, thinking I was playing him, and he played me in my own game. The fucker was –

My thought was interrupted by a call.

I saw it was my mother. My eyes narrowed as I answered. Hiran’s lips pulled up in a knowing smirk.

“Mom? What is it?”

“One of the kids…”

My body went rigid as I let out a soft growl and glared at Hiran. The as.shole looked smug.

“Tell me. What happened?”

“Oh, Rome, one of the kids was missing. Roza and Linda put everyone in their bed for the night, but one was missing. They were worried and they came to me. We searched the whole hotel and around Nightshade, too. Your dad is checking the security feeds now. I just called to tell you this. It is chaos here, Rome. I am scared for the little one.”

“Mom, what the hell… that place was the safest in New York. How could anyone come in there?”

“What happened?” Riley took a step towards me and I knew she knew. “What happened to my pups?”

Hiran laughed as he looked at Riley, his eyes gloating. “It was going to help me control you if the drugs didn’t work properly, but I think we have to negotiate our terms now… Release me and your pup will get back to Nightshade safely… or…”

Riley growled as her fingers trembled. I turned to the phone, as Adrian wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her against his back.

“You are dead. Dead, Hiran.” Riley shook in Adrian’s hold as Dee and Reid took a step towards Hiran. Reid shook his head, as Dee punched Hiran in his nose. He simply laughed.

“If I die, the pup will die too,” Hiran said in a voice that didn’t have a hint of humanity. He was lost. He was mad. “What did I tell you about power, my Luna? It is an illusion. You will forever be trapped. No one can save you.”

“Mom, send everyone in the pack to track the kid. Who is it, mom?”

“It is Claire. Oh, she is the sweetest, sassiest little thing. Oh, Rome, I feel so guilty. I- I feel like I have failed Riley.”

“No, mom, you didn’t fail her. We will find Claire.”

“Is it Claire?” Riley looked at me, her big green eyes swimming in tears. I wanted to protect her against every harm in the world, but here I was, once again, failing her.

“Ssh, we will find Claire, Riley. Ssh,” Adrian whispered as her body shook.

I simply stared at her, anger and frustration filling my entire body. I felt useless. I was the most powerful Lycan in this room. I had powers not many had, and I was officially useless here. I couldn’t even hurt this as.shole who looked smug as hell, when, in reality, I wanted nothing but to destroy him until he was unrecognizable.

“You will not have me. You will lose this.”

“I have never lost, not even once. I claimed you for life, Riley. I sold my own mate to Ramsay, because she was weak, unlike you. You were my- you are my perfect Luna, and no matter who you fu.ck, how many of them you fu.ck, you will always belong to me. Only to me.” Hiran laughed. His eyes were sadistic, satiated. “You will always carry my mark on you.”

Riley ripped out of Adrian’s arms and lunged at Hiran. The chair fell to the ground with a thud. I saw her eyes gleaming. Bright, bright green, mixed with red. It wasn’t her wolf’s eyes. Her wolf’s eyes were only green.

She was still in her human form, but the dark power surrounding her… it wasn’t her wolf’s aura. She was something more. Her canines lengthened as she snarled at him, her voice loud and angry and chilling.

“When my Claire is back, safe and sound– and she will be back… I will come for you, and you will beg for death. I won’t kill you, though.” Her voice was low, dark, dangerous. “I won’t. You will regret ever crossing paths with me.”

Dee gasped as she took a step back, as if she was afraid of her best friend. Reid looked confused, as well. I turned to Adrian and he was looking at me, his mouth half open.

“What is this? This isn’t-” he said through mind-link. I had never seen a wolf have that much power against an Alpha, without even shifting.

“I don’t think she is just an Alpha…” I stared at her as her eyes gleamed. “But what the hell is she?”

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